


Weakness

by Lepidopteran (lepi)



Series: Earn Your Way Back [3]
Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Rebirth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-25
Updated: 2015-03-25
Packaged: 2018-03-19 14:07:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3612816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lepi/pseuds/Lepidopteran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Soundwave discovers an unexpected spark and discusses loyalty without speaking.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Weakness

Analysis of the other sparks in the hot spot revealed a surprising fact. Soundwave turned to Megatron, his visor filled with Optimus Prime's schematics. After a moment of hesitation, he cancelled that, then displayed Orion Pax's instead. Then he tilted his head in question.

"Yes," Megatron growled. "I know. The fool. After I conceded his victory, he went and threw his spark away." At his side, his claws curled into fists. "What is the point of victory if you are not _alive_ at the end?"

Soundwave, still unused to talking when audiovisual data was so much more effective, pulled up an image of the bubble in question, then tilted his head at Megatron. Did Megatron still intend to keep his oft-stated desire to snuff Optimus Prime's spark, or had that been crushed along with his desire for power?

Megatron chuckled, but the sound was tired. "No, I will not crush this newspark," he said. "Where would the sport be in that? He will be Orion when he emerges. All his knowledge of battle was a Prime's knowledge, not a clerk's." If he sounded wistful, saying that, Soundwave tactfully did not point that out. "No, Soundwave, Optimus is gone forever and shall not be coming back."

Soundwave nodded and turned back to the hot spot to give Megatron some time to regain control over his emotions. Megatron had done this a few times since Soundwave had discovered him: he grew visibly sad, then angry, but refused to give outlet to his rage in front of the newsparks, despite their lack of sensory input hardware. Instead, he either forced himself to act calm despite the expressions Soundwave could read upon his face, or he transformed and flew off before returning brittle and quiet. Soundwave had offered to spar with him, once, but Megatron had correctly pointed out that Soundwave's fuel conversion systems were overtaxed from his time in an alternate dimension and then hunting for the newsparks.

 _I have no wish to win due to a downgrade on your part,_ Megatron had said with a feral gleam in his eyes, a joy that Soundwave had not seen before or since in this new Cybertron.

When he judged that enough time had passed for Megatron to collect himself, Soundwave turned his visor to display an image of the Autobots. Megatron stared for a moment, then snorted. "Oh, hardly. If they intended to seek out Orion, they would have found him by now. They are not _entirely_ incompetent without their leader, after all."

Soundwave agreed with that assessment, pleased that Megatron wasn't dismissing his opponents out of hand. Privately, though, Soundwave didn't think too much of the Autobots' ability to maximize the effectiveness of the technology they had access to. Even Ratchet, who was undeniably a genius, spread himself thin working with a more personal touch and hadn't developed a proper means of delegating machinery. He estimated a reasonable chance, with a large margin of error, that the Autobots hadn't realized that they had the means to search for not only the newsparks, but for Megatron and Soundwave; or perhaps they already had and were waiting for reinforcements. But if that day came, Soundwave and Megatron could hold them off easily, just the two of them. They had done it before.

Soundwave and Megatron together: incalculably strong.

Laserbeak's processor stirred in harmonized agreement. Soundwave and Megatron would protect all the newsparks from Predacons and Autobots alike.

"Soundwave," Megatron said again. His voice rang loud in the empty ruins, a strange quality to it. _Megatron: worried?_ "Humor me. _Why_ do you keep following me, when I have abandoned my own ideals?"

Soundwave tilted his head, curious and contemplative. There were many possible answers that he sifted through and discarded; Megatron would not be interested to hear what he already knew. Megatron: strong. Megatron's cause: ideal. Power: should belong to those strong enough to wield it. Council: corrupt and rusting. Optimus Prime: deceitful, naïve.

Megatron's spark had not changed. Soundwave displayed the data to prove it. Still strong. Still alive despite all the odds. Every brush with death only made Megatron stronger, more powerful, more desirable as a constant in Soundwave's life.

"I feel _weak_ ," Megatron snarled. Before his remaking, he would not have admitted such a thing; Soundwave dismissed the alerts as they rose. "Soundwave, an Autobot took my spark, and Unicron took my frame. I am not the same."

 _"The same,"_ Soundwave echoed back. He displayed the spark signature again. He searched his databanks and withdrew another image, saved as all his older data had been in the backups that he'd re-downloaded after crashing himself. It was an image of Megatron standing with Laserbeak, stroking the Minicon's back and wings with obvious affection.

Megatron: does not like Minicons. Megatron: tolerates and enjoys company of Soundwave's partners regardless.

Megatron: friend.

Megatron stared at the image as though seeing something entirely unfamiliar. After a moment, he covered his optics with his claws and started to laugh, a broken, wild sound. _"This_ is why you stay with me, Soundwave? Perhaps you are the one who is weak."

Soundwave ignored the insult; he recognized the defensive protocols it came from. Instead, he extended his challenge again in a brief image of clashing limbs from the gladiator pits, then a display of his core system status. _Soon,_ he said without words. _Soon, Soundwave will prove that neither he nor Megatron are weak._


End file.
